Father-Daughter Relationships and Insecurity (Response to Question 3)

Shakespeare's decision to have Lear have three daughters, rather than sons, is functional for the plot of King Lear. Whereas the daughters of a king traditionally inherited equal portions of their father's estate, the eldest son inherits it in its entirety. Thus Shakespeare determines equal statuses for the daughters, as opposed to the hierarchical relationship of brothers.

Lear, however, violates the rules of inheritance in several ways. Not only does Lear resign from the role of king prematurely, but also he has failed to provide an heir to take his place. Lear makes an effort as well to install a sort of hierarchy between his daughters that echoes that between sons. He loves Cordelia more than Goneril and Regan and makes this grading clear when he formally passes down his estate to them in Act I Scene I. Lear has each daughter make a speech to demonstrate their love for their father, effectively putting them in competition to move him. Lear asks Goneril and Regan to speak first, as he expects Cordelia to make the best speech; this choice makes favoritism evident. Lear makes his expectation of a better speech: "The vines of France and milk of Burgundy / Strive to be interessed, what can you say to draw / A third more opulent than your sisters?" (6).

Striving to install hierarchy where it need not exist points to Lear's insecurity. Lear is so uncertain of his daughters' love for him, that he utilizes the occasion of passing down his wealth in order to have them prove their feelings through speech. Moreover, Lear's effort to rank his daughters highlights his mistakes as king. Lear strives to establish the sort of sibling rivalry among his daughters that would exist between brothers; he imitates the traditional pecking order in an effort to relieve his guilt for failing to provide an heir. Soon after, Lear further violates tradition and reveals the ladder on which he deems his daughters by disowning Cordelia. Lear consistently makes poor decisions as king, and then hopes to ignore his failures by imitating tradition. The formal passing down of Lear's estate itself is unnecessary according to tradition; he acts as though has a certain kingly authority by withholding his estate until due submission and flattery are expressed. Lear struggles to convince himself of his status as king.